As more Chinese workers see their disposable income grow, U.S. companies like Disney are seeing an opportunity to market leisure and tourism to a broader audience.

Mainland China is about to get its first major Disney resort, Shanghai Disneyland, in about five years.

In April, Disney broke ground on the $4.4 billion project, which is bound to create thousands of jobs through the construction phase alone.

Disney has not announced estimates for how many jobs the resort will create once completed, but in comparison, Tokyo Disneyland (which is roughly half the Shanghai resort's planned acreage) employs 20,000 people.

Disney also has corporate offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, with more than 1,000 employees.